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. 2024 Sep 19;12(9):680.
doi: 10.3390/toxics12090680.

Monitoring of Non-Maximum-Residue-Level Pesticides in Animal Feed: A Study from 2019 to 2023

Roberta Giugliano  1 , Vittoria Armenio  1 , Valentina Savio  1 , Erica Vaccaro  1 , Valentina Ciccotelli  1 , Barbara Vivaldi  1
Affiliations

Monitoring of Non-Maximum-Residue-Level Pesticides in Animal Feed: A Study from 2019 to 2023

Roberta Giugliano et al. Toxics. .

Abstract

Pesticides play a critical role in modern agriculture by protecting crops and ensuring higher yields, but their widespread use raises concerns about human health and environmental impact. Regulatory agencies impose Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) to ensure safety, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assesses pesticide risks. This study monitored pesticide residues in 169 feed samples from Piedmont (Italy) collected between 2019 and 2023. Using GC-MS/MS, residues were found in 92% of animal-based and 70% of cereal-based feedstuffs. The most common pesticides in cereal-based feeds were pyrimiphos-methyl, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, azoxystrobin, and tetramethrin, and the pesticide synergist piperonyl-butoxide demonstrated a significant increase in contaminated samples in 2023. The lower concentrations in 2021 were likely due to COVID-19 impacts on pesticide availability. In animal-based feeds, common pesticides included deltamethrin, cypermethrin, and the pesticide synergist piperonyl-butoxide. The results highlight the pervasive presence of low-dose pesticide mixtures in feed and food chains, which could impact health, although do not pose acute risks. The study emphasizes the need for ongoing pesticide monitoring and awareness of the long-term effects of chronic pesticide exposure on animal, human, and environmental health.

Keywords: feed; maximum residue levels (MRLs); pesticides.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of cereal-based feedstuff samples contaminated by pesticides in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Asterisk refers to compounds not detected in any samples throughout the three years.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Annual trends of concentrations of residues detected from 2021 to 2023 in cereal-based feed.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Number of animal-origin-based feedstuff samples contaminated by pesticides from 2019 to 2023. Asterisk refers to compounds not detected in any samples throughout the three years.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Annual trend of the concentration of the residues detected from 2019 to 2023 in animal origin-based feed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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